Guerrilla artists have long had fun transforming everyday objects and helping us see them in new ways. Guerrilla knitters are no exception. They change the hard or harsh to something soft. By adding knitted scarves to fireplugs, no parking signs, etc., they make people stop, laugh and see something new.

But sadly I didn’t feel surprise or joy when I spotted this tree with a sweater. It wasn’t the colors or the execution necessarily, but really the idea that we somehow have to decorate nature to freshen it up. Trees are wonderful and beautiful without our interference, and I don’t think this one really needed or wanted a sweater. Or a scarf.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy seeing lights in trees in the winter time. But the most successful installations are ones that outline the branches and give us aa new appreciation for the beauty of a tree, especially at a time when they can disappear into the early winter darkness.